Authors : P.A. Babajide , W.B. Akanbi , L.O. Alamu , E.A. Ewetola and O.O. Olatunji
Abstract: Green house experiments were conducted to determine the effect of different rhizobial and mycorrhizal species on growth, nodulation and biomass yield of soybean (Glycine max), grown under low fertile eroded soil condition in the South western Nigeria. It was a factorial experiment with 2 levels of soil (sterile and non-sterile), inoculation with Glomus clarum (with and without) and inoculation with either R25B or IRJ2180A rhizobial strain, while the control received no inoculation of any of the microbial strains. Each treatment was replicated 3 times and the trial was arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Plant growth and biomass yield were significantly enhanced by arbuscular mycorrhiza in both sterile and non-sterile soil conditions, compared to the control. Combined inoculation of mycorrhiza with any of the rhizobial strains significantly improved plant growth and biomass production. The effect of the combined inoculation was particularly more effective with mycorrhiza + R25B rhizobium inoculation ,which had the highest values of plant height (68.8 cm), stem circumference (2.94 cm), number of leaves (39.0), shoot dry weight (16.1 g) and root dry weight (4.6 g), while the control had the least values of 33.2, 0.60 cm, 15.0, 4.4 and 1.6 g, respectively. Nodulation was equally enhanced by mycorrhizal and rhizobial inoculations under sterile and unsterile soil conditions. The percentage mycorrhizal root colonization values ranged from 4.0-42%. Root colonization was highest for mycorrhizal inoculated plants grown on sterile soil. Thus, dual inoculation of mycorrhiza + R25B rhizobium, may be beneficial to soybean production in the tropics, where nutrients particularly available P and total N are very low. Hence, a relatively low input technology, for improved soil fertility/productivity and sustainable arable, green manure and forage crops production.
P.A. Babajide , W.B. Akanbi , L.O. Alamu , E.A. Ewetola and O.O. Olatunji , 2008. Growth, Nodulation and Biomass Yield of Soybean (Glycine max) as Influenced by Bio-Fertilizers under Simulated Eroded Soil Condition. Research Journal of Agronomy, 2: 96-100.